BLOWER – a reactive installation that takes webserver logfiles and represents search terms by fan airflow and so transforms abstract notions into a corporeal medium. BLOWER deals with statistic logfile analysis and data representation. The installation is connected to the internet and automatically determines through a perl script the search terms employed to find a a specific web host. The first 150 search terms are connected to 300 stacked fans. Popular search terms create stronger airflow than less popular. Starting from the question what are the terms people search for, one finds oneself in one of the rare situations where visitors disclose their wishes and desires. Thus the motivation for the website visit can be identified quite easily. Through BLOWER the exhibition audience can experience this statistical data material directly. Additionally the data is send by Bluetooth to the visitors’ mobile phones.
This projects was made possible through the initiative servus.at